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Your cart is empty.Product Description
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Handmade in Germany
Pathfinder
The Pathfinder is comfortable to hold, well balanced, and unfailingly dependable. It performs well at making kindling, limbing branches, general yard work, and is a reliable camp or packing tool. The hammerhead poll may be used to drive tent stakes and perform other light hammering. The head is buffed and polished to a reflective finish that reduces cutting friction and improves rust resistance.
The video showcases the product in use.The video guides you through product setup.The video compares multiple products.The video shows the product being unpacked. -
Specifications
Head Weight: 1 ½ lbs. Total Weight: 2 lbs.
Bit Length: 3 ¼ in. Handle Length: 15 in.
Head - Hand forged using a drop hammer on open dies - Premium grade C50 high carbon steel - 53-56 HRC (Rockwell Hardness) Handle - Sustainably sourced grade A American hickory - Individually selected for grain orientation and density - Boiled linseed oil finish, 150 grit smooth sanded - Hung with hardwood wedge and steel ring wedge
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What's Included
Care For Your Axe
- 1 oz. bottle of Axe-Guard protective oil - Axe Guard is a 100% green metal treatment oil manufactured in the USA.
- Vegetable tanned Leather Sheath - Our sheaths are handmade in the USA from vegetable tanned, top-grain cowhide leather.
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Care For Your Axe
Sharpening & Maintenance
Become familiar with proper sharpening techniques. Keep the edge sharp while maintaining the original bevel. Use a flat file and sharpening stone to sharpen your edge. Grinders or sanders can be used with extreme caution, as overheating can alter the steel temper. Our Dual-Sided Axe File has a double-cut pattern for rapid material removal when reprofiling, or for removing dings and nicks from the edge.
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Care For Your Axe
Storage
Store your axe in a cool, dry place. Excessive exposure to moisture and the elements may cause damage over time. Do not store in direct sunlight, or near a stove, fireplace, or other heat source. This can cause significant damage to handles by lowering humidity levels in the wood. After using your axe, always clean and oil the head.
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Safety
Splitting Techniques
When splitting, use a firm and stable chopping surface to reduce the risk of injury or damage to your tool. Never split wood against the ground. Take care to avoid striking the handle against logs or other objects, which can happen in the event of a miss swing, and is the leading cause of damaged handles. If your axe blade becomes stuck in a log, rock it back and forth in line with the blade. Never twist side to side, as this may break your handle.
- The video showcases the product in use.The video guides you through product setup.The video compares multiple products.The video shows the product being unpacked.
About Helko Werk
Manufacturing Process
Our axes are individually forged by hand using a drop hammer on open dies. The blacksmith works on a drop forge, using tongs to hold the hot steel as a hammer falls repeatedly onto it. The drop hammer runs continuously at remarkable speed, requiring a highly skilled and time-tested smith. The hand-eye coordination and judgment required for this process can only come from years of experience, as every split-second decision ultimately affects the shape and integrity of the final product.
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About Helko Werk
Rockwell Hardness
An important factor to consider when evaluating the quality of an axe. The steel must be tempered just right, without being too soft to hold an edge or hard enough to become brittle. Helko's Master Smiths have cumulatively spent hundreds of years perfecting the hardness and temper of our axes, creating an ideal balance between superior edge holding ability, ease of sharpening, and resistance to chipping.
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About Helko Werk
Handles
The quality of the handle is also a significant measure of the tool’s integrity. Helko handles are proudly crafted from sustainably sourced Grade A American hickory. Helko promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world's forests.
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About Helko Werk
Leather Sheaths
Our Leather Sheaths are made from vegetable tanned, full grain, cowhide leather. We install a heavy duty welt in all of our sheaths, which is an added strip of leather that rests against the blade, for maximum blade protection. The buckle fasteners are nickel plated with an adjustable strap that will always ensure a snug fit, even if the leather stretches over time.
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Helko Classic Line
Polished blades to resist rust & cutting friction.
Combine versatility, performance, and aesthetics to create a premium line of pristine working axes.
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Helko Traditional Line
Hand-forged German Heritage axes.
Premium collection of hand forged German heritage axes, handcrafted by one of Helko’s Master Smiths.
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Helko Vario 2000
A Helko Werk patented design.
All Vario heads, handles, and fastening components are fully interchangeable and inter-compatible.
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Made in the USA
Premium gear for the discerning outdoorsman.
Top quality outdoor and travel gear, proudly handmade in the USA and built to last a lifetime.
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Made in the USA
Sheaths, axe collars, and leather goods.
Handmade in the USA from full grain, vegetable tanned cowhide leather.
IZNUNYABIZNIZ
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2025
I was a little perplexed to spend 200 on a axe but after going through 3 Home Depot ones With the soft Chinese steel I wanted to try and taste quality and was it worth it this thing looks like the axe from breaking bad polished. And it’s so easy to swing and it hits hard too the steel is hardened so it holds its edge it takes big chunks of wood off each swing I love it. And MOST IMPORTANTLY it can serve as a home defense or offence weapon if needed 😎 makes no noise if you get my drift
Nathan C.
Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2025
Great axe
Ashton
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2025
Full day of use splitting logs, very nice finish on the head and the handle. Sheath could be better IMO but it works so I won't dock stars. Came sharp, not razor but sharp enough to not complain. The little bottle of oil and care instructions were a nice addition to those that aren't used to axes. So far very sturdy and well made. I'll update if there's a failure based on manufacturing.
David W.
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2024
Comes kinda sharp, but a little work and you can cut some wood and still go shave off a beard with it. I'm just gonna say it holds an edge better than most. It's just the right size to choke up on and strip branches and bark off for makeshift tent poles, tent pegs, makeshift skewers and spit roast rotisserie. Has nice hammer for driving pegs etc. Great for bushcraft
J.G.
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2024
Excellent craftsmanship , both the head and the handle and the hanging.So precise , so symmetrical, grinding the head and the blade is beautiful. Sharp out of the box. The handle looks made of a high quality piece of wood.The leather sheath is of high quality too.I never saw so perfect grain orientation of the handle wood.On every step of the production you can see the GERMAN dedication to precision and quality.I didn't get chance to put it to work yet.I will update the review once I do it (especially if there is any issue) and of course I will take some pictures and videos and upload. These nice people and their axes deserve it :) . Thank you!p.s. If I have to have only one axe I would choose the Expedition.Im a big guy and that axe is simply perfect for me for almost any task.The Tasmanian one is also excellent but little bit specifically designed for racing , and I'm not an expert for that , but I'm sure it's going to serve me very good for anything. It's just a bit lighter and shorter than the Expedition and will be perfect when I get tired :) or for limbing a tree , smaller splittings or felling, etc
Customer
Reviewed in Canada on May 23, 2023
Awesome splits like it should
dave dendekker
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2023
Premium helko product and delivered as promised
Michelle M.
Reviewed in Canada on April 2, 2023
Great axe , 90$ customs fee comes with it
matt
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2021
Great freaking axe, absolutely chops almost anything wooden. This axe is not for a novice and I did quit a bit of work to the edge to get the bevel profiled to my standards, but worth the effort. Very easy to sharpen, holds edge very well. Since it was an import I thought It would require additional metal wedges but to my surprise they doubled up on the conical wedge. Currently this thing has been used very successfully against many hickory trees, while holding its edge and no head loosening. My only gripe is the anti - rust coating makes it a little hard too clean at first; I recommend using WD - 40 and 1,500 - 20,000 grit sandpaper to clean off the post work crud and maintain its shine. I have been falling trees with axes since I was 11 and that was before the axe fad became a thing. This axe has a 4.5 pound head which for novices the average full sized falling/chopping axe has a 3-3.5 pound head so yeah I would not recommend this for those who haven’t developed the strength or endurance to safely use this, not a good starter axe. I recommend a 2-2.5 pound medium or boys axe as it used to be called, but I am still able to use it despite being an asthmatic. The axe came razor sharp right out of the box but, if you’re the kind who wants a new axe to be sharp right out of the box hoping it will stay sharp always because you don’t know how to sharpen, your going to need Learn how eventually, especially if you plan on actually using the thing. I have big Hands so this axe handle despite being very thick is more comfortable for me but I would not recommend for those with smaller hands. Lastly, I apologize for any novices are offended by any of my comments, using axe can be very dangerous especially when you are inexperienced and do not give an axe the proper respect it is due. This axe is a great axe but for some I would recommend something smaller, hello werk makes good axes not just this one, you can do what I did, check their website before buying.
yvonne
Reviewed in Canada on January 31, 2018
very happy with the experience and item
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